The West Wales Karate Kaikan has been engaged in a busy two months of competition culminating in the Welsh Closed Championships in Cardiff recently.
Starting in April, the home competition at the WHKK Association Championship in St. Clears Leisure Centre drew in a large entry quota from over 20 clubs, contesting all categories in Kumite (fighting) and Kata (form).
Kai Roberts acquitted himself extremely well by gaining second place in his first ever competition, in the under 10s Kumite. Naomi Price also took a toughly contested second place in the Under 12s Kata, while Ross Meyes achieved second place in the Under 16s Kumite and went on to beat Shannon Evans for first place in the Under 16s Kata. Mike Evans won the Senior Kata category, just beating his sister Shannon into second place and just missing out in the Senior Kumite semi-final, entering the fight-off to gain third place.
The competition culminated in the Team Kata event, with Ross, Shannon and her brother Mike combining forces in a confident and convincing performance that won them a deserved first place in this prestigious event.
Two important competitions were attended in May. Firstly, the National Association Championships in Reading, where Shannon Evans took first place in the Girls Brown Belt Kata, with Naomi Price narrowly beaten into third place in the same event. Mike Evans also gained a very respectable third place in the male Under 18s Kumite.
Secondly, the Welsh Closed Championships in Cardiff saw a continued run of success, with Naomi Price winning the bronze medal in the Girls 10-12 Kata; Ross Meyes took bronze in the Boys 13-15 Kata and silver in the Under 16s Cadet Kumite, while Mike Evans won bronze in the Under 18s Kumite. This event completed a very successful and busy couple of months of training and competing for the students of WWKK..
Chief instructor Barbara Mumberson (6th Dan) commented: "As the longest established karate group in Pembrokeshire, with clubs in and around the Narberh area for over 35 years and as one of the founder members of the Sports Governing Body for Wales, we are proud to continue our commitment of maintaining the highest standards of karate training in South Pembrokeshire and to developing young talent to compete at national level."
West Wales Karate Kaikan train in traditional Wado Ryu style karate at Tenby Leisure Centre on Wednesday, 8 - 8.30 pm, and at the Bloomfield Centre, Narberth, on Monday, 7 - 9 pm, also on Friday, 7 - 8.30 pm.